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Graduate Degrees on the Rise

The Council of Graduate Schools’ annual Graduate Enrollment and Degrees report shows that graduate degrees have been on the rise over the last decade, as indicated by an average annual 4.8 percent increase in applications from 1999 to 2009. An even more dramatic application increase of 8.3 percent was found from 2008 to 2009.

In fall 2009, more than half of all graduate students were enrolled in education, business, or health sciences programs.

The study also found that 51 percent of all graduate degrees conferred in 2008/2009 were in the business and education fields – 24.1 percent and 27.2 percent respectively.

Both men and women have contributed to the growth in graduate education, however women have had larger average annual gains of 4.2 percent compared to 3 percent for men.

Through the Eckelkamp College of Global Business and Professional Studies, Fontbonne OPTIONS offers six graduate business degrees with a number of choices for attending online, on ground – evenings or weekends, or creating an individualized blended program. Fontbonne also offers a wide range of graduate degrees in education with numerous concentrations for teachers seeking to advance themselves and individuals who aspire to teach.